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ENCOURAGE YOUR PRESCHOOLER’S VOCABULARY 5 Ways to Get Ready to Read! by Michele Ranard, M.Ed.                                                                 790 wds Who can forget their child’s first word? It was likely your name, but maybe it was “bawww” (ball) which lit up your faces with a smile. It feels natural to celebrate, praise, and applaud our toddlers as they acquire new language skills daily. In turn, such...

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Holiday Road Trip Unplugged Wonder 8 Activities Prove Half the Fun is Getting There. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed.                                                                             576 wds Are you headed over the river and through the woods this year? Are you praying it will be a pleasant sleigh ride with minimal whining, bladder issues, and weary traveler meltdowns? I hear you. Family road trips have undoubtedly changed since we were...

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GIVE YOUR PRESCHOOLER AN EDGE 13 Smart Opportunities to Seize at Home by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 1090 words Everywhere you turn it seems there is a new marketing scheme to suck us into purchasing something to propel our preschoolers to the head of the class.As well-meaning parents, we may be vulnerable to thinking “inside information” or alternative fast tracks will get our children...

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DON’T DELAY! 4 Tips to Minimize Procrastination.                                        by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 690 words  “To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.”  ~Eva Young Procrastination may be a tendency as human as eating and sleeping, but certain children seem more vulnerable than others and may need some assistance. In The Procrastinating Child (2002), Rita Emmett conceptualizes procrastination as...

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THE UPSIDE OF PARENTING TEENS Seeing the joy and savoring this phase. by Michele Ranard, M.Ed.                                                                             670 wds Living with teenagers can have its challenging moments for parents. They frequently want more freedom than what they are prepared to handle. There are boundary issues, rebellion, and identity crises. Parents may experience their own identity crises as well. Experts say it’s dangerous and unhealthy...

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THE PERKS OF A SIMPLIFIED HOME 4 Treasures Gained From De-cluttering by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 790 words “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” --Hans Hoffman Almost every home owner I know talks passionately about wanting to simplify and slow down, and truly there are a host of pathways to get there. So what stops...

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BECOME A MORE CREATIVE FAMILY 5 Tips for Greater Creativity & Connection by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 605 words “We can’t give people talent, but we can train the eye and the ear and the mind, and we can help our children gain access to a creative way of seeing.”  --Laura Markham Naturally creative or not, parents play a vital role in training the...

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   Nurture Your Child’s Creativity 7 Ideas to Encourage Imagination by Michele Ranard, M.Ed. 1060 words “We can’t give people talent, but we can train the eye and the ear and the mind, and we can help our children gain access to a creative way of seeing. We can also help them gain the concentration, competence, perseverance, and optimism necessary to succeed in...

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